WOLF PACK WEEKLY: March 22-28, 2010 

The Wolf Pack (29-30-6-5, 69 pts.) stayed within nine points of an Eastern-Conference playoff spot with a 1-2-0-0 week this past week.  All three of those games were at home.  The Pack saw a two-game winning streak snapped in a 4-2 loss to Providence on Wednesday, and then dropped a 4-3 decision to Springfield on Friday night.  The week ended on a high note, though, as Sunday produced a 4-3 overtime victory in a rematch with the P-Bruins.  P.A. Parenteau had two goals, including the OT winner, Sunday, and also had a hand in both Wolf Pack goals in Wednesday’s game, with a goal and an assist.

This week:

The Wolf Pack play their last non-divisional game of the season on Friday at the XL Center, hosting the Adirondack Phantoms on Guida’s Family Value Night (7:00 PM faceoff).  Then, it’s “Boy Scout Celebration Night” on Saturday night in Hartford, as the Wolf Pack entertain the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in a 7:00 GEICO Connecticut Cup game.  The weekend concludes with a visit to Portland on Sunday, for a 4:00 battle against the Pirates.

Friday, March 26 vs. Adirondack at the XL Center, 7:00 PM,
Being a Friday home game, this is a Guida’s Family Value Night.  Family Value packages start as low as $45 and include three tickets, three hot dogs or pizza slices, three sodas and a Wolf Pack souvenir.  Guida’s Family Value Night packs are available at the XL Center box office and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

The first 3,000 fans into this game will receive a bobblehead of former Wolf Pack forward Jordan Owens, courtesy of Comcast.  This is a real collector’s item, as Owens was traded to the Detroit Red Wings March 3.

This is the Wolf Pack’s final non-Atlantic-Division game of the season, and the second of two games in the season series against the Phantoms, who moved to Glens Falls, NY for this season after 13 years in Philadelphia.  Adirondack won the first game between the two teams, 3-2, October 23 in Glens Falls.

The Phantoms currently stand sixth in the East Division with a record of 31-34-3-3 for 68 points, two points behind fifth-place Binghamton and 10 points out of a playoff spot.

Third-year pro Jon Matsumoto leads Adirondack in points, goals and assists, with 24-29-53 in 71 games.

Radio – live with Bob Crawford in HD on WTIC’s 96.5 HD 2 and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and www.wtic.com.

Saturday, March 27 vs. Bridgeport at the XL Center, 7:00 PM

This is “Boy Scout Celebration Night” at the XL Center, a tribute to the Boy Scouts of America’s 100^th anniversary.  The Wolf Pack will be wearing Boy Scout specialty jerseys, both at this game and at their home game the night before vs. Adirondack, and the jerseys will be auctioned at this game, with proceeds benefitting The Connecticut Rivers Council Boy Scouts of America.  Discounted tickets for this game are available to Scouts, through Lisa Feigenbaum in the Wolf Pack ticket office (860-524-5690, lfeigenbaum@xlcenter.com, and all Scouts who purchase Scout Night tickets will also receive a special Wolf Pack Scout patch.

The Sound Tigers (34-27-4-6, 78 pts.) enter the week holding down the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, nine points ahead of the Wolf Pack.  Bridgeport is currently on a season-best, eight-game unbeaten-in-regulation run (7-0-1-0).

The Wolf Pack have lost three straight in the GEICO Connecticut Cup series, after going 3-0-0-2 in the first five games between the two teams.

Mike Radja, added to the Sound Tiger roster March 2 in a trade with Syracuse, has goals in back-to-back games, including the overtime winner in Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Springfield, and 3-4-7 in eight games since the trade.

As with all Wolf Pack Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday-night home games, this night features $3 domestic drafts and snacks in the XL Center Atrium.

Radio – live with Bob Crawford in HD on WTIC’s 96.5 HD 2 and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and www.wtic.com.

Sunday, March 28 at Portland (Cumberland County Civic Center), 4:00 PM

Head Coach Kevin Dineen’s Pirates are in second place in the Atlantic Division, three points off the lead, with a record of 39-22-6-4 for 88 points.

Tyler Ennis, the leading rookie scorer in the AHL (23-42-65 in 68 GP), has seven goals and three assists for 10 points in five games against the Wolf Pack this year, and scored the overtime game-winner in the teams’ last meeting, a 2-1 Pirate victory February 27 in Hartford.

This game concludes the season series between the Pirates and Wolf Pack, who are 1-3-1-0 in the series thus far and have lost both of their previous visits to Portland.

Radio – live with Bob Crawford in HD on WTIC’s 96.5 HD 2 and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and www.wtic.com.

Pack Tracks:

The Wolf Pack’s home game that had been scheduled for Thursday, April 1 at the XL Center vs. the Worcester Sharks has been moved to the previous night, Wednesday, March 31.  Faceoff time remains 7:00 PM.

The Wolf Pack’s last regular-season home game, Saturday, April 10 against the Springfield Falcons (7:00 PM faceoff), is “Fan Appreciation Night” at the XL Center.  The Wolf Pack players will be wearing specialty jerseys that night, and the jerseys will be given away to lucky fans after the game.  Also at Fan Appreciation Night, the Wolf Pack will honor former Pack coach John Paddock for his recent induction into the AHL Hall of Fame.

At every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday-night Wolf Pack home game for the balance of the regular season, fans can enjoy $3 drafts and snacks in the XL Center Atrium.  Also, the Comcast Coliseum Club features a “Warmup Menu”, with $3 domestic drafts and appetizers, before every Wolf Pack home game at the XL Center.

Individual tickets for Wolf Pack games are on sale now at the XL Center Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations including Macy’s at the Buckland Hills Mall and at the Westfarms Mall. Tickets may also be charged by phone at 1-800-745-3000 or online at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.  Information on all of the Wolf Pack’s many terrific ticket options, including group discounts, season tickets, partial plans, Birthday Bash packages and more, is available by calling the Wolf Pack ticket office at (860) 548-2000, and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

Every Friday-night Wolf Pack home game at the XL Center is Guida’s Family Value Night.  Family Value packages start as low as $45 and include three tickets, three hot dogs or pizza slices, three sodas and a Wolf Pack souvenir.  To order your Guida’s Family Value Night pack, visit the XL Center box office, or go on-line to www.hartfordwolfpack.com. 

Once again this season, the Wolf Pack are partnering with WTIC Radio to air Wolf Pack hockey action.  All of the Wolf Pack’s regular-season and playoff games will air on 96.5 WTIC-FM’s HD 2 channel and will be streamed on-line at www.wtic.com. Select games will be carried live on the 50,000-watt AM powerhouse, WTIC NewsTalk 1080. 

The AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack is operated by Northland AEG LLC, a joint partnership between Northland Investment Corporation and AEG Facilities.  The team is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers.

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